Join the Conversation

Tea party head: 'Our republic is truly broken'

CIN
1 a.m. EDT March 30, 2014

Ann Becker is president of the Cincinnati Tea Party.

The Cincinnati Tea Party was founded in March 2009 with the mission to advocate for fiscal responsibility, limited Constitutional government and free markets. At the time of our country's founding, a woman asked Benjamin Franklin what sort of government the founders had given us. He replied, "A republic, if you can keep it."

We believe that it is a responsibility of all citizens to make sure the Constitution is being followed and our freedoms are protected.

When the tea party started in 2009 we had rallies. People gathered together to express their frustration and disappointment with the state of their government. Most people went to the rallies at Fountain Square and were surprised to learn that they were not alone. There were others who were worried about the state of their republic. From that unity of concern, a movement was born.

As the years have passed, our movement has changed. All of us, political novices in 2009, have learned how politics works. What most of us have discovered is that our republic is truly broken. Our political class focuses on what is popular, what can get them re-elected and what will earn the most money. The Constitution is far down on the list of things they think about, if they think about it at all. That must change.

Tea party members from all across the country have gotten involved in politics at the local level. Hundreds of people all across the state of Ohio are running for their neighborhood central committee and state central committee seats. These seats are at the most local level of our republic. It is at this level that we change our country and get more people concerned about the Constitution. In addition to the central committee seats, there are many tea party members seeking higher office: state representatives, county commissioners, township trustees, and even U.S. congressmen.

As the tea party enters its sixth year, we have moved from protest rallies and protest signs to campaign rallies and campaign signs, but our focus has not changed. We stand together to protect our republic and our Constitution by holding our government accountable through fiscal responsibility, limited Constitutional government and the free market.